


Fire and Water: A Digimon Love Story

by Vegeta413



Category: Digimon Frontier
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2020-01-07 15:12:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18413201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vegeta413/pseuds/Vegeta413
Summary: Just a thought I had while I was writing my Frontier sequel story. What if Takuya and Ranamon met before either of them knew the other was a legendary warrior, and they were attracted to each other? How would this alter the course of the season? Anyway, not sure how many chapters I want to do with this, where I want to go from this first chapter, or even if there will be any more to the story, I just thought it might be kind of fun to play this little scenario out. Also, as there were many graphic sex scenes in my last work I feel the need to say that no, there will not be any in this work, at least not while the human characters are still children. I may have included some very dirty stuff in my last work, but that was a scenario where all parties involved were adults.





	1. Lost On the Beach

**Author's Note:**

> Like I said, this is a what if scenario that literally just came to me in the middle of writing my last work. Enjoy!

Takuya walked for a while. He had been lost for at least a few hours now, and if he didn’t find his friends soon, he was going to start having to worry about where he was going to sleep for the night. This, however, wasn’t his only concern. It wasn’t long ago that he and his friends discovered that they weren’t the only legendary warriors in the Digital World. “Those ShellNumemon were absolutely terrified of Grumblemon” he thought. “Who knows how many other innocent digimon he’s been terrorizing?” Then another more disturbing thought crossed his mind. “What if he’s not the only evil legendary warrior? Bokomon said there were ten. There’s only five of us, and Grumblemon makes six...so it would make sense to assume there’s four more out there.” As he spaced out thinking about these things, he ended up on a beach. “Huh? This place doesn’t seem too dangerous. I guess it’s as good a place as any to get some rest.” What he didn’t realize, was that he was being watched. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ranamon did back strokes in the ocean just a little ways from the shore. “Hmph” she pouted. “Why does that lil rock head get to have all the fun? Just because he’s got his beast spirit and I don’t...” This bothered her. As she swam to shore, she thought about what Cherubimon had told her and the others. Soon the other five legendary warriors would arrive, and she and her allies would have to defeat them and claim their spirits. “Just how in the heck is that lil rock for brains gonna beat five legendary warriors?” Another thought crossed her mind. “And what if one of these other warriors is cute?” She couldn’t help but wonder this. She had been extremely lonely ever since Cherubimon created her. Mercurymon, Grumblemon, Arbormon, and Duskmon weren’t exactly good company, and she definitely didn’t consider any of them a potential mate. She sighed. Just then, she heard someone coming. “Oh goodie, I’ve got company!” She dove into the water. “Let’s see who we’ve got to play with” she said sinisterly as she completely submerged herself underwater. As she waited to jump her prey, she saw a human boy walk onto the beach and sit down. “Hot damn!” she thought to herself. “Is that a human? I didn’t know humans were so cute! Let’s see what lil hottie here is up to?” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Takuya sat down. “If I walk another step I’m gonna collapse.” Just as he sat down, a Shellmon emerged from the ground. “Aw man, this just isn’t my day!” he thought as he pulled out his detector. Shellmon spouted water out of its head, forcing Takuya to jump out of the way before he could spirit evolve. His detector got knocked out of his hand in the commotion, and as he went to get it, Shellmon stepped on him, pinning him to the ground. “Aw crap. This is it!”  
“Drainin’ rain!” All of a sudden a rain cloud appeared over Shellmon, causing it to become weak, and allowing Takuya to get free. Takuya looked to see who saved to him, and he saw a beautiful, amphibious woman digimon standing on a spout of water. “Hey there sugar, are you alright?” Takuya just nodded. “Alright, honey, just leave everything to me. Whippin’ wave!” She sent the Shellmon flying with a powerful water attack. Ranamon then stepped onto the beach.  
“Wow, thanks” said Takuya. “I sure oh you one.”  
“Oh don’t mention it, sugar. But what’s a human boy such as yourself doing all by his lonesome in the Digital World?” She picked up his detector. “And what’s this lil gadget?”  
“Well, you see, I’m a-“ he stopped, remembering how the ShellNumemon reacted when when he announced he and his friends were legendary warriors. “I’m lost. My friends and I got separated. That’s just...a video game!” He said, taking it from Ranamon.”  
“Oh” she said, “well alright. Anyway, I’m Ranamon.” She extended her hand.  
“I’m Takuya” he said, shaking her hand, “and thanks again for saving me.”  
“Well, Takuya, if you’re all alone, maybe I could tag along with you, at least until you find your friends.”  
“Well sure” said Takuya, “but I was actually just gonna lay down here and rest for a bit.”  
“Well that’s fine too” said Ranamon. “This really is a beautiful spot and if you really wanna thank me for saving your skin you can always take me on a lil ole beachside date” she said with a wink, grabbing his arm.  
Takuya blushed. “Uhhhhh yeah I suppose we could do that.”  
Sometime later the sun was beginning to go down, and Takuya and Ranamon were sitting by a fire on the beach. “So Ranamon” Takuya said. “Do you, like, live in the ocean?”  
“No, not really” she said. “I mean, I suppose that’s where I feel most at home, but I live with some friends a lil ways from here. I’d take you to meet them, but they’re not very fond of humans.”  
“Well, what about? Are you fond of humans?” he asked.  
“Well, do be honest, sugar, I never met one until you came along. But I think if didn’t like them I wouldn’t be on a date with one right now” she said giggling.  
“Oh yeah” said Takuya, blushing. “Right.”  
“Hey Takuya” said Ranamon. “I have a favor to ask. Ya know, since I saved your life and all.”  
“Yeah, what is it?” he asked.  
“Well” she began, “I was just wondering, since this is a date and all, if, maybe, I...”  
“What is it, Ranamon?” he repeated.  
“C-could I kiss you, Takuya?” She blushed as she she asked this, terrified that he’d reject her.  
Takuya was shocked. He didn’t know how to respond. Yeah, she was pretty, and all, but she also wasn’t human. Plus, he was twelve years old, and had never kissed a girl before. Zoe said something about kissing him the first day they met, but then immediately turned red and slapped him across the face. Did he really want his first kiss to be with a digimon?  
Ranamon noticed Takuya’s hesitation. “It’s okay if you don’t wanna, sugar” she said, looking down at her feet. “I just thought that maybe-“  
“It’s not that I don’t wanna” he said. “It’s just...I’ve never actually, kissed a girl, really ever” he said as he blushed.  
“Really?” she asked. “I’ve never kissed a guy!”  
“Huh? But didn’t you say you had a fan club? Surely one of those guys must’ve wanted to-“  
“Yeah I’ve had many offers from my fans, but they just wanted to kiss me they’re fans of me. They treat me like an object. You’re the first person I’ve ever actually spent quality time with. Truth be told I can sometimes be a bit of a brat. Anyway, I guess I’ve been holding out for someone special. Someone like you...”  
Takuya’s face went as red as a tomato. His carefree and courageous attitude had earned more than a few crushes from girls growing up, but no girl had ever just come out and said something like that to him. “Well, Ranamon, I guess since you put it like that...yeah, I’d like to kiss you.”  
“Oh honey, really?” she asked.  
He nodded. “Just promise you won’t laugh if it’s like really bad or something.”  
She giggled. “Okay hun, I promise” she said, as she put one hand on the side of his face and leaned in. They both closed their eyes and leaned closer to each other until their lips locked. It was a brief and gentle kiss. And when they pulled away they were both blushing. “Thanks for that, sugar” she said.  
“No, thank you” he said laying back down on the ground. Ranamon laid back as well, resting her head on his chest.  
“Goodnight Takuya.”  
“Goodnight Ranamon.”


	2. Cat’s Out of the Bag

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I thought how this could develop into a story, so I wrote this next chapter. Still not sure how much further I want to go into the frontier story with this though. Let me know your thoughts!

Takuya was shaken awake the next morning, not by Ranamon, but my Zoe and Tommy. “Hey, Takuya! What’re you doing just napping in the middle of nowhere like this?” Zoe asked.   
“Huh? Zoe! Tommy! Guys!” he yelled, shocked to see his friends. “Where’d she go?”  
“Where’d who go?” asked Tommy.  
“She was right here” said Takuya.  
“Takuya” said Koji, “there was no one else here. You were just sleeping alone in the middle of the beach.”   
“That’s strange” thought Takuya. “Did I dream that whole day? No, that seemed too real. Besides, kissing a digimon? My brain doesn’t make freaky stuff up like that. I wonder where she went...”  
“Earth to Takuya” Zoe said, waving a hand in his face as he zoned out. “We were really worried about you, ya know.”  
He snapped out of it. “Huh? I’m fine guys, really. Sorry for worrying you all like that. Guess that’ll teach me to wander off like that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*some time after Takuya and Ranamon’s encounter, just after Takuya took Grumblemon’s beast spirit*  
Ranamon sat in her underground spring. “That boy was so cute...and kind” she thought to herself. “But I had to get out of there before he woke. If Mercurymon, or worse, Cherubimon, caught me hanging around with a human...” Her thoughts were interrupted by Grumblemon stomping around and shouting above her. “Oh just what, pray tell, is that lil troll whinin about now?” She asked out loud. “Better go see what this is all about.” She raised herself through the geyser.   
“Me make kids pay for taking beast spirit!” shouted Grumblemon to himself. “Goodie! The beast of dirt for brains has another incompetent plan.” Ranamon said, appearing in the shadows. “You couldn’t outwit and nitwit.”  
“What? Who there? Ranamon? That you?”  
“How many other warriors of water do you know?” she asked, coming into the light.   
“No your business!” spat Grumblemon.  
“Thou art mistaken” said Mercurymon, coming into the light as well.   
“Mercurymon, warrior of steel” said Grumblemon. This also surprised Ranamon, who thought the warrior of metal was elsewhere. If he was around here the whole time he easily could’ve been spying on her when she was with Takuya.   
“Thy thoughtless acts reflect badly upon us” the warrior of metal said. Ranamon couldn’t help but feel like he wasn’t only speaking to Grumblemon, but to her as well.  
“Crap” she thought, “he knows.”  
“Got that right” said Arbormon, jumping down to join the gathering of digimon.  
“Arbormon, warrior of wood” said Grumblemon.  
“Ok” Ranamon thought, “there’s no way this lunk head has any idea.”  
“Now our circle is complete” said Mercurymon.  
“But Duskmon, warrior of darkness” began Grumblemon.   
“For sooth, he has no heart for battle. He does little but stare at the moons. We shall rule this world whilst his only domain will be the world he sees when he closes his eyes.” They all laughed.  
“Me no get” said Grumblemon.  
“Ugh” grunted Mercurymon. “I’m surrounded by buffoons.   
As Grumblemon and Arbormon headed out to get Grumblemon’s beast spirit back, Ranamon went to follow, Mercurymon held her back.  
“A word, m’lady?”  
“Huh? What do you want now, metal head?” she asked, trying to play it cool.  
“I just thought thou might like to know the true identity of the human boy thou art smitten by” he replied.   
“Sugar, I have no idea what you’re talking about” she said, crossing her arms.  
“Oh” he said, displaying on image on one of his mirrors. “I must be mistaken then. Perhaps this is a different warrior of water.” The image was that of Ranamon and Takuya kissing on the beach. Her face went red.  
“I...uh...” was all she could manage to say.   
He then showed another image on his other mirror. This one was that of BurningGreymon taking Grumblemon’s beast spirit. It then showed BurningGreymon devolve into Takuya. Ranamon’s jaw dropped. “The object of thy desire is none other than the warrior of fire himself” said Mercurymon. “I wonder what Cherubimon would say if-“  
“Don’t you dare, Mercurymon!” she shouted. “I didn’t know!”  
“Oh, so now that thou doest know, this changes things for thee?”  
“Well, I...” she stuttered.   
“Redeem thy self, m’lady. Thou have gained the human’s trust, and human hearts are weak and easily manipulated. It should not be too difficult for even thee to lure him into a trap.”   
Ranamon’s heart sank. Of course, she get betrayed that Takuya never told her who he really was, but to be fair she didn’t tell him that she was a legendary warrior either. But could she really bring herself to lure him into a trap. She was going to have to. Now that the cat was out of the bag if she didn’t turn on Takuya the next time she saw him, the both of them would either be crushed by Mercurymon or Cherubimon. There was no way out of this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well? Thoughts?


	3. Ranamon’s Inner Conflict

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I think I’m going to stick with this at least for another couple chapters, depending on what direction it takes me in.

Ranamon sat alone in her hot spring once again. He had stayed behind while Mercurymon, Grumblemon, and Arbormon went to confront Takuya and the others.   
“Thou must stay here. Should we fail, thy identity must remain a secret, so that thou may set thy trap” Mercurymon said before they left.   
The humans were heading for forest terminal. “Perhaps I can get there before Mercurymon and tip them off” she thought. No, that was too risky. She barely even knew Takuya, and didn’t know his friends at all. Her fellow warriors and Cherubimon may not be the best company, but they were the only family she ever knew.  
“Something on your mind, Ranamon?” came a deep voice from the shadows. It was Duskmon.   
“Huh? Duskmon, don’t you sneak up on me like that!” she said.  
“And here I thought I was the only deep thinker in the group. I assume you were adding up all the pathetic digimon in your fan club.”  
“How dare you?” she said. “I’m more than just a pretty face, ya know.”  
“Hmmm, you don’t say. Perhaps you and I have more in common than I thought. So, I hear you have developed feelings for the warrior of fire, and that Mercurymon has pressured you into using your connection with him to set a trap. I would like to pick your brain about this, if you don’t mind.”  
“And just why should I talk to you about anything like that? You haven’t said a word to any of us in ages and now all of sudden you wanna have a big ole gab fest?” She was right to be suspicious. She and Duskmon were both created by Cherubimon around the same time, but she knew him about as well as she knew Takuya at this point.   
“We are fellow legendary warriors, are we not?” he stated.   
“Hmph” she scoffed. “As if that means anything. Mercurymon and the others are on their way to fight the other warriors as we speak.”   
“Yes. This all does seem very strange to me, as well. The legend says that the original warriors defeated Lucemon by working together, and yet here we are, five of us pitted against the other five. And who’s to say we are on the correct side? Cherubimon? Just because he created us? Perhaps the human boy you are infatuated with could make a keen ally...anyway, I digress. Who put Mercurymon charge? I certainly don’t remember Cherubimon doing so. If you don’t feel comfortable laying this trap for the warrior of fire, why should you just because Mercurymon said so? Hmmm. Just something ponder. Until next time, fellow warrior.” The warrior of darkness retreated into the shadows.   
“That was strange” Ranamon thought. “Did really intend to give me advice, or was he just trying to rattle me?” She pondered for while. Then she sighed. “What is a gal to do?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Takuya and the others arrived on a beach, thanks to the Whamon that they saved. “Thanks again, kids!”  
“Thank you for the ride, Whamon” Zoe replied. They walked for a while, until they noticed a shack. Outside of it were four Toucanmon.   
“They’re here! They’re here!” they yelled.  
“Please, come in, kids! We’ve been expecting you!”  
“Huh? Why were you expecting us?” asked Koji. Just then, Ranamon stopped out of the shack.   
“Hi y’all!” she waved at all of them. They just seemed confused, except for Takuya who went running over to her.  
“Ranamon! Long time no see!” he said.   
“Takuya” said Zoe, as she and the others ran over as well, “you know this digimon?”  
“Yeah this is Ranamon” he said. “She saved my life when I was separated from you guys.”  
“Well” said Tommy, “any friend of Takuya’s is a friend of ours!” he said, running into the shock to see what the Toucanmon had cooked up.   
“Why does it not surprise me that someone had to look after you when we weren’t around to do it?” said Koji, following Tommy in.  
“Well eat up” said Ranamon. “All of you, you’re all welcome, of course” she said, half heartedly.   
“Ranamon, why did you take off like that?” asked Takuya. “Ya know, before I woke up?”   
“Oh ya know, I had to get goin and you looked so cute while you were sleeping I didn’t wanna wake you, sugar” she said, getting a chuckle from everyone except Zoe, who just rolled her eyes. “Now enjoy! These Toucanmon may not look it but they’re actually fabulous cooks.”

A little ways off, Mercurymon watched as his plan fell into place. “Excellent, Ranamon has played her part. Our foes shall never know what hit them” he said as he and Arbormon prepared their ambush.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said, I’ve got some ideas for at least another couple of chapters, but I also got an idea for a sequel to my last work that I’d kind of like to get started on, which would involve Takuya and friends mentoring a new generation of DigiDestined. That said, I also never had any intention of taking this one into the Royal Knight Arc, so this one was kind of limited from the getgo. I’m going to try to go as far as the Sakkakumon arc, but we’ll see how the next few chapters develop.


	4. A Deadly Trap

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Completely just winged this one. Enjoy!

Ranamon and Takuya sat on the beach while Koji, JP, and Tommy played in the water. Zoe was still changing into her bathing suit. “I’m sorry if hurt your feelings when I left sugar.”  
“It’s alright” said Takuya. Just then, they all heard Zoe scream. Takuya and JP ran into the room, only to meet a slap in the face, as Zoe hadn’t finished changing.   
“I’m sorry guys” she said once she had finished changing.  
“What was that scream about, hun” asked Ranamon, putting ice on Takuya and JP’s faces.   
“Well” began Zoe, “someone’s a peeping tom!” Everyone immediately looked at JP.  
“Hey! It wasn’t me!” he said.   
“You have to admit it does look very suspicious” said Bokomon.  
“Come on guys” said Takuya, “JP was out there with us the whole time. It couldn’t have been him.”  
“Then that just leaves-“  
“Toucanmon!” shouted Ranamon. “If I find out you were-“  
“Hey!” shouted Takuya, checking his clothes. “My detector’s gone.” Everyone else checked their clothes. The only one who wasn’t missing their detector was Zoe. They all immediately turned on Ranamon.  
“Well” said Koji, “start talking!”  
“Wait a minute!” said Takuya, stepping between her and his friends. “Ranamon wouldn’t order them to take our detectors. She saved my life. She even picked my detector up and gave it back to me. Why would she do that if she wanted to steal them? Tell them, Ranamon.”  
“I...” she began.   
“Hahaha” came a voice. Mercurymon and Arbormon came out from hiding. “Excellent work, Ranamon, legendary warrior of water” said the warrior of metal.   
“Ranamon?” said Takuya, taking a step back from her.   
“Takuya, I-“  
“Played thy part perfectly, m’lady” interjected Mercurymon. “We shalt take it from here.” A group of Veggiemon came out, grabbing the guys, as well as Bokomon and Neemon. Zoe was the only one who avoided capture.  
“Execute! Spirit evolution! Kazemon!” She tried to free her friends. “Hurricane wing!” Mercurymon stepped into the way.  
“Dark reflection!” He reflected the attack back at Kazemon, blasting her out on to the beach.   
“My turn” said Arbormon. “Slide evolution! Petaldramon! Leaf cyclone!” The attack overpowered Kazemon.  
“Hahahaha! It would appear the battle is almost over” said Mercurymon, stepping onto the beach himself and preparing to take Zoe’s spirit.   
“Ranamon” Takuya said, “how could you?” Ranamon just watched helplessly, looking back and forth between him and the battle. “I trusted you.”  
“Takuya...I didn’t have a...I’m sorry” she said. Kazemon continued to take attacked from Petaldramon. Finally, her spirit and fractal code began to show.   
“No” said Kazemon, “not again.”   
“Do not resist, m’lady. It will soon be over” said Mercurymon, stepping closer.  
Ranamon couldn’t take it anymore. “No! Drainin rain!” Her rain cloud appeared over Mercurymon, unleashing the energy draining water on the warrior of metal.  
“Arrrrgggghhhh!” he writhed, dropping to his knees.   
“What the?” Petaldramon turned to see what was the meaning of this. Meanwhile, Kazemon’s fractal and spirit were no longer visible.  
“Ranamon?”  
“Let’s show these lunk heads what a couple of gals can do, sugar” said the warrior of water. Kazemon smiled and nodded. Mercurymon then got back up. “Traitor! Cherubimon will have your head.”  
“Take your best shot, metal mouth” she taunted. Just then, something began glowing in the water. “Is that...” she began. It came out of the water and Ranamon’s question was answered. It was her beast spirit. It resembled a hideous kraken. It floated toward Ranamon, but when she reached out for it, it glowed even brighter, and transformed.  
“What’s happening?” asked Koji.   
“I believe her beast spirit senses her change of heart” said Bokomon. “You see, Ranamon and her spirits were created with evil intent by Cherubimon. It makes sense to assume that her beast spirit would have caused her to take the form of an evil digimon, but since she has seemingly defected from Cherubimon, the beast spirit is taking a new form.   
“It’s so...beautiful” said Takuya.  
Ranamon took in her beast spirit. “Slide evolution! Cascadamon!” *Please see my description of Cascadamon in my previous work, FRONTIER REUNION: CHAPTER 10*   
“Woah” said Kazemon. Takuya and JP has hearts in their eyes. The others just stared in amazement.   
“Hydro jet!” yelled Cascadamon. The attack was directed at Petaldramon. Mercurymon stepped in the way to reflect it, but Kazemon knocked him away. Cascadamon’s attack hit Petaldramon directly.   
“Thou hath gained extraordinary power indeed, Cascadamon, but thou hath made a grave over sight.” As he said this, the Veggiemon began to squeeze their captives, causing them all writhe in pain.   
“Stop it!” shouted Kazemon. She and Cascadamon moved to free them.   
“I wouldn’t if I were thee. Thou might hurt thy allies.”   
“He’s right” Kazemon. “What do we do.”  
Cascadamon just watched, heartbroken as she watched Takuya get the life squeezed out of him.  
“Fret not, m’ladies. I hath every intention of releasing them, so long as Cascadamon surrenders and comes with us.”  
“No way” said Kazemon. “That’s not happening.” But Cascadamon slide evolved back to Ranamon and put her hand on Kazemon’s shoulder.   
“No, sugar” she said, looking back at Takuya, who was shaking his head, begging her not to do it. “This is my mess, and I have to fix it. I’ll go, Mercurymon. But if you don’t let them go right now I’ll show you no mercy.”  
“Thou don’t trust my word, m’lady?” Ranamon just stared him down. “Very well” he said, snapping his fingers, as Petaldramon shot vines at Ranamon, tying her up and knocking her out. He then devolved to Arbormon and the three of them rode away on an Airdramon. The Veggiemon released the guys and ran away.   
Zoe, devolved, ran over to her friends.  
“Zoe” said Takuya, “we have to save her.”  
Zoe looked down at her friend and nodded with determination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I grappled with the decision over Ranamon’s beast spirit. Sorry to those of you who didn’t read my last work, but i didn’t feel like describing Cascadamon’s appearance again.


	5. Wind and Water

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some time has passed since Mercurymon kidnapped Ranamon. The kids helped Gomamon get back to his home (they fought MarineDevimon instead of Ranamon), Zoe and Tommy got their beast spirits, the guys got their detector’s back, Duskmon Revealed himself, Takuya went to back to the human world and came back, rescuing his friends from Mercurymon and LadyDevimon instead of Ranamon. The warriors are now trapped inside Sakkakumon.

“Boy, those Honeybeemon are really clumsy” thought Zoe. “But at least they’re nice.” She shared ice cream with the digimon whom she had rescued multiple times from traps.   
In the mean time, one of the Honeybeemon has gone off to gather flowers for their new friend. As he was picking them, a voice startled him.   
“Are those for me, sugar?” Ranamon asked.   
“Ranamon? Where have you been? No ones seen or heard from you. We were all worried about you” he said.   
“Oh? So worried that you’ve gone and replaced me with that brat?” she asked.  
“I, uh, well” he began.  
“Never mind” she said. “Now’s your chance to make it up to me. Give your new friend over their this apple. It’ll cause her to have terrible nightmares. Do it or you’re out of the fan club, sugar.”   
The Honeybeemon struggled with the task, feeing guilty since Zoe had been so nice to him and his friends. Ultimately, though, he gave the apple to Zoe, causing her to have nightmares and go into a panic. She had flashbacks of being bullied at school and camp.   
“Those girls” she said to herself. “They were...so mean...and I was...mean right back.”  
“Something wrong, sugar?” said Ranamon, approaching her target. “Have you accepted that no one likes you? Even those Honeybeemon have been working for me this whole time. You have no friends.”  
“But” Zoe began, “Ranamon...you’re...my friend.”  
“What?” Ranamon gasped. “What on earth are you talking about, hun?”  
“You saved me” said Zoe, snapping out of the spell. “Ranamon, you have to remember! You saved me from Petaldramon.”  
“I...did?” Now it was Ranamon who went into a trance. “Yes...I did...”  
“Do not listen to her, m’lady” came Mercurymon’s voice. “This human wench seeks to claim thy title as fairest maiden of the digital world!”  
“That’s not true!” shouted Zoe, but Ranamon was too far gone.  
“Shut it, blondie!” she said. “Slide evolution! Calamaramon! Now you’re in for it, honey!”  
“Crap” thought Zoe, diving out of the way as Calamaramon swung her giant tentacles at her. “Looks like I’m gonna have to fight her.” She turned to face Calamaramon. “I’m sorry about this...execute! Beast spirit evolution! Zephyrmon!”   
“See” came Mercurymon’s voice again, seemingly coming from all directions. “See how much more beautiful she hath become than thou. She seeketh to replace you!”  
“Never! Acid ink!” shouted Calamaramon, spewing acidic sludge at Zephyrmon, who narrowly dodged the attack.   
“I have to get through to her somehow” thought Zephyrmon. “Mercurymon’s clearly brainwashed her...” The battle raged on, until finally Calamaramon had Zephyrmon trapped in one of her Tentacles.   
“End of the line, honey” she said, squeezing harder and harder.  
“Please...you have...to remember...” Zephyrmon struggled to speak. “Remember...Takuya...”  
“T-Takuya?” Calamaramon loosened her grip on Zephyrmon.  
“You saved his life. You saved my life” said Zephyrmon. “Please, you have to remember.”  
“I...remember” said Calamaramon, releasing Zephyrmon and devolving to Ranamon. “What...what happened?”  
“Ranamon, you’re back!” said Zephyrmon, devolving to Zoe and running over to her. “Takuya was so worried about you! We all were. We searched everywhere.”  
“I remember” began Ranamon, “after I went with Mercurymon, he took my spirits and tortured me. Next thing I knew, I was in here, and my mission was to destroy you. I’m sorry Zoe. Can you ever forgive me?”  
“Of course, Ranamon, I’m just glad you’re back.”  
“Woohoo!” shouted the Honeybeemon, flying over to the two girls. “You’re both okay!” Their signs with Ranamon’s face on them also had Zoe’s face on the other side. An eye portal opened up, and the two legendary warriors, along with the Honeybeemon escaped Sakkakumon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really struggled with this one, which tells me I might be nearing its end. I’ll try to bang out another chapter or two to tie up loose ends, but like I’ve said before, it was never my intention to go very far with this story. Plus I know myself and if I go too far with it I’m just going to have Takuya, Ranamon, and Zoe all end up together again.

**Author's Note:**

> Not sure if I want to go further with this, but am open to suggestions for how t might progress!


End file.
